Muralidhar Kutty

MARDAANI 2 After a phenomenal response to Mardaani where we saw Rani Mukerji as a tough cop , she returns in this franchise as Shivani on a transfer from amechi Mumbai to the student aspirants laden city Kota where once again women are targets for brutality . The 102 minute seat grappling film sans any songs revolves around the rape and brutal murder of several girls and women by a psycho killer on the loose, which leads to massive uproar and a challenge from the accused to Rani for a cat and mouse game .  It is the conviction in the performances and a gripping narrative that ensure there's never a dull moment in Mardaani 2. The violence is der but a movie with rape as a tag , the narration needs the depiction in black .Rani always had a screen presence and she delivers with aplomb but it is the young 25 year old Vishal Jethwa who is a scene stealer . Watch out bollywood we have a star in the making ! With the fresh incidents of the Hyderabad and Unnao rape uproars the cinegeors will be identify with the grim realities of rape . Now RAPE : (Revolting Act of a Person's Eccentricities ) as a new definition of rape may not be true in many cases but here the antagonist Sunny fits into this jaragon !!

URI - NOT A MOVIE REVIEW Today when I sat watching the 138 minutes of reel time unwinding the famous surgical strike with Vicky Kaushal motivating his men to avenge the death of the comrades at URI , my mind reels back to the ground reality more than three decades back to.the time I drove into this bowl so beautifully created by mother nature. When I first recieved my posting to the headquarters there , I literally had to search the map to locate this tiny hamlet . With my marriage on the cards around the same time I was bewildered whether this outing was going to be a bane or boon. As the army jeep drove me from Srinagar to Uri I was mesmerised by the sheer beauty of the country side , a true heaven on earth, so far seen by me only in Bollywood movies. After a quick tea in the Brigade mess I was escorted to my abode- a glass hut which was to be my den for the next three years . The writer in me soon rechristened the hut as Tulika - means a quill ( I wonder if it still bears the same name ) . A lot of water has flown down the Jhelum since then but those nostalgic moments still reverberates down memory lane. . The flag meetings at Kaman post with Pak Counterparts to scale down provoked firing . The charismatic Hajipir Pass (captured and surrendered) seen from our fwd post. . Heptr recce rides overlooking the Pir Panjal . Visiting troops at the Malangan (an indomitable feature ) . Learning the nuances of golf at one of the finest golf courses . Gorging on the kashmiri cuisine so fondly made by Sheikh Baba ( Who had also catered to the late Nehru ji and later when late Rajeev Gandhiji when he visited us ). . Partying with cine stars at the Golf course and brigade mess. . Friendly cricket matches with locals. . Begetting my princess who learned to walk in the green meadows of the bowl. As the days passed by there was an uncanny air around the belt . The friendly smiles were disappearing and the local populace had start distancing . The fear and anguish was being felt which started catapulating . The occasional blasts and kidnappings in the valley by end 87 were sowing their seeds and the rift between the hindus and muslims was slowly scaling up and Uri was no exception . It has been 30 long years since this jihad has surfaced. I have hung my boots since then .We have lost scores of men in uniform and one surgical strike is not enough . Where and when will this end is a national debate ? The movie URI, albiet shows little of the place but if you have served there you would realise how difficult it is to man the Line of Control day in and day out throughout the year. It is towards this end I would like to compliment Aditya Dhar and Ronnie Screwvala who have picked up the courage to make such an outstanding movie . Let's not look at the trivial issues related to accoutrements and operational hierachy . Cinemagoers have to forgo minor glitches as the makers have to safeguard their TRP and BO returns . The icing on the cake was when the movie ended and I asked the bagal wala guy , how was the movie ? I salute the Indian Army were his parting words.

WAR is Wacky Action Revenge movie with the right ingredients to rake the moolah at the BO . When two machos flex their six pack on the silver screen it is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat not to be rattled by the pop of the popcorn . Yes ! That's what the 154 minute masala bomb does . The chemistry for a change between two lead men - The Greek God Kratus a la Hrithik and his Indian disciple Tiger Shroff keep the movie ticking . The plot may be wafer thin but the twists in the plot keeps you intrigued . The fight scenes , car chases , two well choreographed numbers and some breath taking visuals give you a paisa vasool . The lead pair carry the movie on their shoulder and deliver enough punch to compensate for other star ensemble . Light ! Sound ! Action ! The WAR is onnnnn !!!